[jjhunsecker]

The main reason he got a Silver Star was that FDR wanted to keep Johnson in his good graces and voting for whatever FDR sent up to the House which Johnson did. It was of course a complete sham he got such a medal. I believe that the History Channel covered this in a program where Robert Caro was interviewed as well as I think either the last crewman alive from that crew or a son of one of them.

[Arkie2]

I remember reading this particular passage in the book and the star was handed to Johnson by McArthur to curry favor in Washington. Johnson was terrified to fly and flew the mission only to dispel rumors that he was a coward. It was his only "action" in the war but he shamelessly used the star in later political campaigns. He was the prototypical modern Democrat.